Independence Day
by life in perspective
Summary: This story follows Lee and Amanda as they celebrate the Fourth of July throughout the years. It begins before the series and continues until after series.
1. July 4, 1982

Disclaimer: Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions are the rightful owners of Scarecrow and Mrs. King, its characters, and its premise. The plot for this story and any original characters remain the property of this author. No copyright infringement is intended. This work is written solely for the pleasure of the author and the readers, and no profit is being made. This story, however, does belong to its author, and any reproduction or distribution is prohibited without authorization of said author.

_July 4, 1982_

The Fourth of July began dreary and wet. Amanda was hoping that the day would brighten as it went along. Joe was back in town from Estoccia, and she was hoping that the holiday would bring them closer together. It had been several months since they'd begun talking about divorce, and she wanted to give their marriage one last shot. Joe had agreed to it as well and, together, they had decided to have an old-fashioned family BBQ. It was supposed to be overcast all day, and Amanda was hoping the rain would hold off.

Dotty had made plans of her own that day. Her bridge club had decided to brave the crowds on the Mall to watch their favorite 60s group, The Grass Roots, perform. Dotty had ulterior motives- she was hoping that by leaving the four of them alone, maybe Joe would come to his senses and realize what a good thing he was leaving behind. 'That man!' she thought to herself. 'I don't understand how Africa can hold his attention better than his own boys- they need a man around the house!' But, Amanda wouldn't hear any badmouthing of Joe. "Joe feels like he's making a difference in the world," she would say to her mother. "Who am I to stand in his way? I'm not going to beg him to stay behind. That wouldn't be any better than not having him around." Dotty had her own opinions, but knew that they would fall on deaf ears.

SMK SMK

Lee Stetson was not having a good day. Blue Leader had assigned him, along with his partner, Eric, to watch a potential informant, to see if he was double-crossing the Agency. "This is rookie work," he grumbled to Eric, angry that his Fourth plans with Elisa had been destroyed. He had been looking forward to a delectable picnic on her father's estate. Now, he was stuck with grunt work, and who knew how long it would last.

Eric, on the other hand, was in a great mood. Lee couldn't figure the guy out. It wasn't that long ago that Lee and Eric spent most of their time together, out looking for a good time. For the last six months, though, Lee was on his own, out trolling the bars and looking for beautiful women to fill his black books. Eric had met someone, a girl named Elizabeth, and from that point on, Lee was strictly solo.

"So, Eric, why are you so happy to be spending the Fourth on a stakeout?" Lee grumbled. Thoughts of the picnic continued to plague Lee.

"Well, Lee, I have some pretty big news…Elizabeth said yes!" Eric proudly exclaimed.

"She said yes to what?"

"Elizabeth and I are going to get married! Can you believe it? So…wanna be best man?" Eric asked, oblivious to Lee's mood.

"What?" Lee was floored. Why on earth would Eric want to get married? That was for chumps who didn't have anything better to do. Eric was better than that, wasn't he?

"I said I'm marrying Elizabeth and would like for you to be my best man. What do you say? I mean, you are my best friend," Eric said. Lee looked at his partner and could tell he was on cloud nine. He thought about the past few years, and how much Eric's friendship meant to him. He was practically family, since Lee didn't want to claim his uncle as anything other than an obligation.

"Sure, Eric, I'll do it for you. Besides, weddings are great places to meet women," Lee smirked. Maybe a wedding would be a good thing after all.

SMK SMK

It was 4:00 p.m. and Joe was late…very late. Amanda had tried to come up with a story to tell the boys, but it had proved impossible. She had fed them a lunch that was _not_ barbeque, tried unsuccessfully to get them to take a nap, and was now at her wits' end. How could he do this…again? He was hardly ever in town and, instead of spending time at home, he was at his office doing "important" paperwork. Something had to give…

"Mom!" Phillip cried out. "Telephone….I think it's Mrs. Lightner."

Amanda picked up the extension in the kitchen and greeted her friend. "Hi, Peggy! Happy Fourth of July!" Amanda listened to her friend invite the boys over to watch fireworks. Amanda sighed and responded, "Peggy…I really appreciate it…I'm not sure…Joe is supposed to, well, he was supposed to be home earlier, but apparently something came up at work…" Amanda came to a sudden decision. She was done making excuses for Joe. "Peggy, you know what? I think it would be great for the boys. Thank you so much for the invitation. When would you like for me to drop them off?"

Phillip and Jamie wandered into the kitchen as Amanda hung up the phone. "Boys, we've had a change in plans!" She said as brightly as possible. "How would you like to go spend the night with Max and David? Mrs. Lightner has invited you to come watch fireworks!" The boys' loud screams of delight were her answer. She smiled at her boys. They really were two great kids, and so easy to please. Why didn't Joe want to spend time with them? Didn't he know what he was missing?

SMK SMK

It was 7:00 p.m. and Lee was sitting in a hospital waiting room in a daze, unable to comprehend what had happened that afternoon. Lee and Eric had driven separately to the industrial district, in an attempt to find their informant. The plan was for Eric to meet the man at a gas station, exchange some recognition phrases, and then the informant would pass on his information. Lee would shadow the informant and see where they went from there. Blue Leader was concerned that this Russian was not really an informant at all, but a KGB plant. Apparently, some of the information that had been passed to other agents had ended up leading to those agents getting hurt or killed.

At 5:30, Lee watched Eric meet the man at the designated spot. Then, as Eric turned to leave, Lee watched as a black car pulled up next to his partner. Lee tried to figure out what was going on. He saw Eric lean over to speak to someone in the car. Lee couldn't figure out what Eric was doing. Suddenly, a shot rang out and Eric slumped to the ground. The informant jumped in the black car and it sped off. Lee got a partial plate number and raced to Eric. There wasn't much blood, but Lee could tell this was bad…really bad. He ran into the gas station and called an ambulance, and then the Agency. Then, he sat next to Eric and tried desperately to talk to him.

Now, he was keeping a silent vigil, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst. Eric was the best friend he had in the world. They had met at Station One and struck up a friendship. They had stayed friends even when Lee joined the OZ network. Eric had been there for Lee after Dorothy died… Lee couldn't think about it anymore.

"Lee," Billy said. Lee looked up and realized he was no longer alone. "Lee," Billy repeated.

"Yeah, Billy," Lee sighed. Billy could see that Lee was not handling this at all well.

"I need to know what happened," Billy said. Lee looked at him and began to relate the incident in a methodical, emotionless voice. By the time Lee was finished, Billy was sitting and rubbing his face in concern.

"Lee, has his family been reached?" Billy quietly asked. Lee stared at Billy. How could he have forgotten? Somebody needed to let Elizabeth know.

Lee shook his head. "No, Billy," he intoned. "Man, I don't know how to tell her! He told me today he and Elizabeth got engaged. How do I tell her he's...he's…he's…"

"Lee, do you have her number? I can call her if you want. What about his parents?" Billy could see that Lee was hanging by a thread. The last thing Billy needed was two agents out of commission. Lee nodded and headed for the nurses' station to use the phone. This was a call he didn't want to make, but knew that nobody else could do it.

SMK SMK

It was midnight. Amanda sat in her living room alone. With Dotty and the boys gone for the night, the house was eerily quiet. Amanda looked in her lap and saw that she had twisted a Kleenex into tiny little pieces all over her legs. She had never felt this way before…so alone.

Joe had finally come home around 8 p.m. to an empty house and a resigned wife. He tried to make amends, saying, "Amanda, I had no idea it would take this long. I thought it would be quick, but time just got away from me."

"I understand, Joe. Your work is important to you," she answered. She was sitting on the sofa, and he could see several tissues on the cushion next to her.

"Sweetheart, what can I do to make this up to you? Let's call the boys down and go to the park…maybe we can see the fireworks from there."

"No, Joe," she answered quietly.

"What do you mean 'no'?" he asked. He had never seen Amanda act this way. She was always so…perky. Nothing ever seemed to get her down. She always welcomed him back home with a smile, never commenting on how long he had been gone. The boys were always excited to see him. Now, the house was silent and Amanda was so…still.

"Joe," Amanda took a deep breath and continued, "I can't keep this up anymore. I can't cover with the boys anymore. You have to choose. I hate to ask it of you…no, I actually don't hate to ask it. I shouldn't have to ask it. You have to choose."

Joe was stunned. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? She knew that his job was important to him. He was actually making a difference in the world! Estoccia was getting the help it needed…through him. He loved his family, but he had to do his work. He thought she understood. Looking at her, though, he could see that she was in pain…and, apparently, he was the cause.

"What do you want me to say, Amanda? I love you. I love the boys. I don't know what to say," he whispered.

She looked at him. She remembered the day she had met him, the day she realized she loved him, the day they were married, the days the boys were born. She had loved this man with everything she had…but it wasn't enough. She needed more. The boys needed more…they all deserved more.

"Joe, I want you to say that we are more important than your work…that you love us more than Estoccia…that you love me so much that you would do anything to be with me. But, Joe, I know that none of it is really true. I know you love us, but you need your job more. Joe," she sobbed, aware of what she was about to say. "Joe, I think it's time we let this go. I think we need to get a divorce."

He stared at her, remembering the same days that she had. Had it all really come to this? But, in his heart, he knew that it really was over. He loved her, but not enough to give it all away for her.

"I know. I wish I could try to argue this with you, but…you're right. I do love you," Joe said, grabbing her hand.

"Joe, I love you, too. But, I don't think we're in love anymore," she answered, squeezing his hand and then pulling hers away from him.

That had been four hours ago. Joe had gone upstairs, packed his few belongings and left. They agreed to meet with a lawyer in a couple of days and work out the details. He would come back to the house when the boys came home, and they would sit down with them together and explain.

Amanda sat and realized that she had done the right thing. But, in her heart, she knew that this had been the worst day in her life.

SMK SMK

It was midnight. Lee sat in his living room alone. The apartment was eerily quiet. Lee looked at his hands and realized that he had shattered the glass of whisky and was now bleeding. He had felt this way before and hated it…so alone.

Elizabeth had arrived at the hospital with Eric's parents. Lee stood back as Billy talked with them, telling them what he could about the "accident". Elizabeth had looked at Lee, then blanched visibly. Not long after, the surgeon walked into the waiting room.

"I'm sorry," he began, and Lee knew then that it wasn't good. "We've done everything we can, but it doesn't appear to be working. Eric has a critical head injury, and we can't get the bleeding to stop. He's awake right now, but I don't think he's going to make it through the night."

Elizabeth burst into sobs and grabbed Eric's parents. They huddled together, while Lee slumped back into a chair. Billy talked with the doctor and turned around to Lee. He knew this was going to be tough for Lee, and wasn't sure how his favorite agent was going to handle things.

Lee went over to Eric's family and asked, "Do you mind if I go see him for a minute? I know you want time, and I don't want to intrude, but I really need to speak to him before…" He couldn't continue. He looked at Mrs. Lassiter, who nodded.

"It's all right, Lee, go ahead. We'll be there in a minute." She turned back to Elizabeth, who looked as if she would collapse. Lee turned and went to the room the nurse indicated.

It was dark and noisy with the sounds of machines. Lee looked at Eric in the bed and realized that he looked small…Eric was always such a giant of a guy, but now looked like a shell.

"Uh, hey, Eric..." Lee began, and choked on his words. He couldn't believe he was losing someone else in his life.

"Lee…" Eric rasped. "Buddy, it's OK. It's gonna be OK. I couldn't let them…get…you…tell…Billy…it's Madison…the setup…was for…you…tell him Madison…"

Lee stood in shock. "Eric, are you saying they thought you were…me?"

Eric stared at Lee. "Take care…of…my family…Lee…don't…be…alone…" Eric coughed and Lee realized that Eric had answered him. Eric had taken the bullet for him.

The door opened and Lee turned around to see Elizabeth. Lee looked at Eric and said, "I'll be back. You can beat this." Then, Lee retreated and rushed away from the hospital. Billy watched him go, knowing that the coming weeks were going to be hard.

That had been six hours ago. Billy had just called to say that Eric had passed away about 30 minutes ago. Elizabeth and his parents had been with him until the end. Billy had also had an opportunity to hear from Eric what had happened.

Lee knew that this was his fault. He knew that, once again, he was left alone with no one to really care if he lived or died. He knew this had been one of the worst days of his life.


	2. July 4, 1983

_July 4, 1983_

The Fourth of July began dreary and wet. Amanda had high hopes of it becoming sunny because her new boyfriend, Dean, who worked for the Weather Bureau, had predicted warm weather and sunny skies. Dean had offered to take her, her mother, and the boys to see the fireworks at the Capitol that evening, and she thought it would be a terrific way to spend the holiday. She just knew that today was going to be better than last year's Fourth.

The last year had been a little rocky for the boys as they adjusted to the fact that their parents were no longer married, although they had been used to not seeing their dad for several years. Amanda had waited six months before she even tried to go out on a date. The boys didn't seem to like it at first, but now seemed to be OK.

A few weeks ago, right before school let out, she had met Dean at a school function. Dean's niece just happened to be in the same class as Jamie, and he had come to a career day event. Amanda had been volunteering that day, and, after spending some time visiting, Dean had asked her out. The boys seemed to like Dean. They had been on several dates since then, and Amanda now felt comfortable letting him spend some time with the family.

SMK SMK

Lee awoke in an unfamiliar room. His head was pounding and his eyes felt like they'd been glued shut. 'What exactly happened last night?' he thought to himself. Rubbing his eyes, he slowly sat up in the bed. As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, the night before started to come back to him. He glanced at the lithe form next to him. He dimly remembered meeting a blond at Nedlinger's and striking up a conversation. He gave her one of his usual lines, this time pretending to be an astronaut. Boy, he sure could get them with that cover!

As he glanced at the sleeping woman next to him, he saw that she really didn't have any remaining appeal for him. So far, he'd never really met anyone who could hold his attention span for longer than a week or so at most. The only exceptions were either dead, married, or Elisa Danton. Elisa…he barely remembered the last time he'd made plans with her. It was….a year ago… Lee immediately turned that line of thinking off. Lee never dwelt on the painful images of the past, and last Fourth of July was one he was not going to remember.

SMK SMK

"Mom, is the rain ever gonna stop?" Jamie whined. The day was not going the way Amanda had planned, but it still wasn't a total loss. She and the boys had played board games all day, with stops whenever the rain let up to go ride their bikes. They boys were restless, and she had to admit they'd behaved pretty well for being shut up inside. Dean was supposed to be arriving any minute now, and Amanda was a little nervous. The boys had met Dean briefly, but this would be the first time they would be doing something with him. Dotty was beside herself. She seemed more excited about the date than Amanda felt.

"Amanda! I think I see Dean's car! Oh, darling, I am so glad that you finally met a nice young man. I know that this was a big step for you, but I've got such a good feeling about Dean! I think he's just what you need!" Dotty gushed.

"Mother, I've only been divorced for a few months. I'm not ready for…" Amanda tried to calm her mother down to no avail. The doorbell rang and Dotty rushed to answer it.

"Dean! I'm so glad you suggested this today! We are all so excited about tonight's fireworks!" Amanda could hear her mother welcoming Dean into the house, and she couldn't help but smile. Her mother was such a character. Who could stay down with that bundle of energy around? Amanda went to the front door to welcome Dean.

"Dean! How are you?" Amanda smiled at her date. Dean really was a nice looking man. He was dressed in a plaid short-sleeved shirt and jeans. He smiled back at her, then grinned when he saw the boys. Amanda was so glad that he didn't mind dating a woman with kids. In fact, he seemed downright excited about it. As he walked into the house, she had a good feeling about the evening.

SMK SMK

Lee sauntered into his living room with a bottle of German beer in one hand and a bowl of chips in the other. He had seen the weather and figured the day was a wash- the rain wasn't going away. So, instead of getting out on the wet streets, he was going to spend the day in front of the TV, watching a game. As he sat down, he grabbed the paper and looked at the listings- looked like the Yankees would be playing the Red Sox later on. "That'll work," he muttered to himself.

As he settled in and began channel surfing, the phone rang. With a sigh, Lee got up to answer it. It was Paul Barnes, his old mentor. "Hey, Paul! It's been awhile! What's up?" Lee asked, happy to hear from him.

"Hey, Lee, I just got into town and thought I'd give you a ring. Got any plans?" Paul asked.

"Nah…just thought I'd watch the ball game. You have a better idea?"

"Well…I've got some other guys meeting me at Ned's to hang out, watch the Yankees. Wanna come?"

"Ned's? Who's coming?"

"Jim…Leatherneck…Casey…maybe a few others. I heard Francine might drop by, unless she finds 'something better'…her words," Paul laughed. Everyone knew that Francine always had high hopes of meeting up with a rich Congressman. Lee joined in his laughter. It would be good to catch up with Paul. It'd been awhile since they'd talked, and it would sure beat hanging out by himself.

"Sure, Paul. I'll be there." Today was looking up.

SMK SMK

It was midnight and the house was still. Amanda was sitting in her bed, flipping through a magazine, but not really reading it. She thought about the evening and smiled to herself. It really was too bad that thunderstorms had kept them from going outside, but Dean had been a good sport. They'd ordered pizza and turned on the television, finally finding a channel showing some fireworks. The boys played Monopoly with Dean, who seemed to have a great time. Around ten, Dotty hustled the boys up to bed and stayed up there herself. Amanda figured Dotty wanted to give them some "alone time".

As they sat on the couch, Dean took hold of Amanda's hand. "Amanda, I, uh, I really had a great time tonight. Your boys are…well…they're just great," Dean stammered. Amanda looked at him. He really was a very sweet man…so different from Joe in many ways, but similar in others.

"Dean, I had a nice time, too. Thanks for playing that game with the boys. I know they can be a handful sometimes," she replied with a smile.

"Oh, I had so much fun with them! I mean, they are great kids. You know, I've always wanted kids, but just never seemed to meet the right lady," he smiled. Amanda thought to herself that he really was a handsome man, though not in an obvious way. He really wasn't the type of guy she would normally have picked out for herself, but he just seemed so stable and…safe.

Dean had left not long after, giving her a sweet little kiss at the door. He was such a gentleman, she thought to herself. Now, lying in bed, she thought about what it would be like to be with Dean. He was a good, kind man, who obviously liked her kids. Her mother thought he hung the moon. He had a stable job and didn't seem to want anything beyond where he was. He really seemed to care about her.

'How do I feel?' Amanda wondered. She didn't really feel any sparks around him. "Stop that!" she admonished herself. "You are a grown woman with two kids. You can't believe in fairy tales or movie romance any more. It just doesn't work like that."

She would have a good life with Dean, if she just got over her fantasies and accepted reality. This was as good as life was going to get, and she was going to be happy with it.

SMK SMK

It was midnight and Lee was just arriving home, a little worse for wear. It had been a fun evening overall. Seeing Paul again was just what he had needed. Ned's had been hopping with activity and the gang had had a blast watching the Yankees win in a 4-0 no-hitter, the first for the Yankees in almost 50 years. It had been great catching up with Paul.

"So, Paul, how are things in London?" Lee asked while they drank a pitcher of beer. They were surrounded by friends and cronies. "I hear that you have quite a little harem going." The gang laughed and nudged each other.

"Well, I hear I've got nothing on the great Scarecrow. How many black books are up to now? 2? 3?" The gang continued to laugh and Lee nodded, replying, "I'm about halfway through my third. What can I say?"

Paul grinned at him. "So, no plans on settling down, Lee? No white picket fence in your future?"

Lee glanced around the room, seeing the faces of his friends and colleagues. "Come on, Paul, now why would I want to do that? There are too many beautiful women out there for me to settle for just one. I mean…I can't even imagine anyone like that existing!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought- same old Lee," Paul smirked at him. They continued to banter back and forth for a couple of hours, trading war stories and commiserating on petty losses, never talking about anything that hit too close to home.

Lee thought back on the evening. He was glad that he had spent some time with Paul. Now that Paul was in London, they really never got around to talking that often anymore. It brought back memories, both good and bad, but Lee only thought about the good.

He really did have a great life, he thought to himself. He might get lonely sometimes, but there were always women available to make him forget. This was as good as life could possibly get, and he was definitely happy with it.


	3. July 4, 1984

_July 4, 1984_

The Fourth of July began dreary and wet. Amanda figured it would stay that way, because she heard her ex-boyfriend, Dean, predict sunny skies at his new job on the radio. Where exactly did he get his meteorology degree from, anyway? He never seemed to get the predictions right. She hoped it didn't rain, though, because she was looking forward to some peace and quiet while the boys had a fun day with the Junior Trailblazers. They were going to spend the day at the park, cleaning up litter in order to earn a merit badge, and then later they were going over to a friend's house to watch Richard Petty race in the Firecracker 400. Her mother was visiting Aunt Minnie in Maine for the week, so she would have the entire house to herself.

As the boys gathered their stuff together for the day, Amanda smiled. She was really proud of both her boys. They were both such good kids, although they were as different as night and day. Phillip was her outgoing one, always making friends and coming up with new sports to try. Jamie was her quiet, introspective one, always reading a book and learning about new subjects. Even though they bickered a lot, they really did enjoy doing things together. 'I am really lucky', she thought to herself. 'I have a wonderful family…and a little excitement now and then.' She smiled. Her life had changed so much over the past 9 months…in a lot of ways, mostly for the better…all because of that day last October when Lee Stetson entered her life…

At that moment, she saw a head bob up in the kitchen window. 'Does he have perfect timing or what?' Amanda thought to herself. She glanced into the living room to make sure the boys were still occupied, then walked to the back door.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered as Lee poked his head around the corner.

"Have the boys left yet? Is your mother around?" he demanded. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. He looked bewildered.

"Can't you even say hello?" she responded. The man had absolutely no manners. Why couldn't he say a simple, "Hi there!" Was that so difficult?

"Hello," Lee smirked. "Now, is your family around? Can you get away?"

"The boys are leaving in a minute and my mother is in Maine for the week. Why? Do you have a mission? Do you need me? I mean, I was planning on heading over to the park after awhile to check on the boys' merit badge progress, and I thought about cleaning out my pantry and maybe washing the porch off but, if you need me, then I guess…" Lee stopped her with a look. How could she possibly get so many words out in a single breath?

"Amanda…I simply need you to go with me to a restaurant as a cover. I'm supposed to be given some information from a new contact," Lee said. "Can you get away in half an hour or so?"

"Sure," Amanda answered. "Do I need to wear anything special? Is this a fancy place? Gee, you go to some really fancy places sometimes…"

"Amanda…just wear something casual. Jeans, whatever…it's just a regular restaurant," Lee exhaled. "Meet me in the Agency parking lot at 11:30." He smiled and strode off.

She watched him walk away, then shrugged. Looked like her day of peace and quiet was not going to happen after all.

SMK SMK

Lee looked at Amanda as she ate her salad. They had been at the restaurant for nearly 30 minutes, and Lee still hadn't seen his contact. They had gone ahead and ordered lunch, in order to maintain their cover, but Lee was beginning to think it was a wash. He glanced again at Amanda. How could she eat right now?

"Lee," Amanda said. "Aren't you going to eat your sandwich?"

He gave her a withering look. "I am not hungry. I am beginning to think he's not going to show! Damn it, this is going to screw everything up!"

"If you don't eat, don't you think that's going to look funny? I mean, we're supposed to be undercover, right? What if someone's watching? Don't you think you'd stand out a little bit?" Amanda whispered. Lee looked at her. She was right. He shook his head, grabbed his sandwich, and took a bite. She smiled at him. "Now, was that so bad?"

"No…I guess I am a little hungry," he replied as he started to take another bite. As he bent over his plate, a movement at the back of the restaurant caught his eye. It was his contact.

"Amanda," he whispered. "Stay here. I'm going to the restroom." Her eyes grew big and she nodded. Lee walked past her and she took another bite of salad.

Ten minutes later, Amanda was growing concerned. Lee hadn't returned and she knew this couldn't be good. She turned around to glance at the restrooms and saw nothing. At that moment, their waitress came to the table.

"How's everything going? Do you need more tea?" the waitress asked.

"I think I need to get the check and a to-go box. My friend isn't feeling well," Amanda said. The waitress smiled.

"I'll go get it for you," the waitress said as she walked away.

Amanda glanced at the restrooms again. It wouldn't hurt to just go back and see if Lee was anywhere around there, would it? She grabbed her purse and walked nonchalantly to the back. She continued glancing around to see if she saw anything to give her a clue as to where Lee went. She looked around her as she reached the men's room, then knocked on the door. "Lee," she called out as quietly as she could. "Lee? Are you in there?" As she did this, a man walked out and gave her a funny look.

"Um, excuse me, sir. Did you happen to see anyone in the restroom?" she asked, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"No, I did not!" the man exclaimed, giving her an even funnier look.

Amanda walked back to her table and found the check. She dug in her purse and found some cash, put it with the check, then grabbed Lee's sandwich and dumped it in the Styrofoam container. As she did, she saw a tiny piece of paper at the bottom. She took it out, put it in her pocket, and left the restaurant. When she got to the parking lot, she pulled out the note.

"Meet me behind the restaurant at the dumpsters. I know where your friend is." Oh, this wasn't good at all.

SMK SMK

Amanda cautiously looked around the back parking lot of the restaurant. She really wasn't sure she should be here. What if this was a trap? Lee was always telling her that she attracted trouble. Maybe this was a really bad idea. Just as she decided to leave, she saw her waitress waving at her surreptitiously from behind the dumpster. Amanda crept over to her, looking over her shoulder as she went.

"Ma'am," the waitress whispered. "I have a message from your friend. He told me to tell you that you should feed the fish. Do you know what he meant?"

"Feed the fish. Feed the fish?" Amanda thought for a moment. "Oh my gosh! Feed the fish!" She began to rush away, then stopped. She turned to the waitress and said, "Thank you so much. Yes, I know what he meant."

Amanda hurried to her car. Lee must mean that she was to go to his apartment. He had to be referring to the time he asked her to feed his fish, when she was mistaken for him. Could this mean the Russians were involved? Was Zinoviev back from Russia? Amanda decided she needed to get to his apartment immediately. Lee could be in real trouble if Zinoviev had returned!

As she drove, she thought back to the last couple of years. Her life had changed so much since she and Joe had decided to divorce. That had been such an awful day. She was glad, though, that they had moved past it and worked through the end of their marriage in such an amicable way. It was important to her that she remain friends with Joe, especially for the boys, although they really never saw Joe anymore. He had immersed himself even more in his work in the last year. Apparently, he had become good friends with the Prime Minister of Estoccia, so he couldn't come back to the States much. The boys really missed him.

They didn't really seem to miss Dean, though. She thought back to last year when she had first introduced Dean to the boys. They had never really attached themselves to him, and seemed to delight in pulling pranks on him…especially Phillip. That sugar trick…well, that was a good one, and it had come in handy, too. She smiled to herself. No, Dean had been a really nice guy, but so…so…boring.

Suddenly, she realized she was at Lee's apartment building. She looked around, but didn't see Lee's Porsche. She got out and went in. She nodded at the doorman, then headed to Lee's apartment. As she reached the door, she took a deep breath. 'I am prepared for anything,' she thought. She cringed a little as she knocked on the door.

It flew open and Lee grabbed her arm and pulled her in. "Amanda," he said. "What took you so long?" She stared at him. Nothing seemed to be wrong with him.

"Lee, what happened at the restaurant? I mean, one second you are sitting with me, then you head to the restroom and, poof, you're gone! I looked around and didn't see you, so I headed to the restroom to see if I could find you. Let me tell you, it was a little embarrassing to knock on the…" Amanda started to ramble, until Lee stared at her.

"Amanda…Amanda…will you be quiet?" he demanded. "If you'll be quiet, I'll tell you what happened!" She nodded at him and he led her into his living room. It was slightly cleaner than the last time she'd been there.

"OK, tell me what happened," she invited. She took a seat on the couch and waited.

"Well, first of all, let me tell you that I am…well…um…you did a pretty good job in figuring out my message. I saw my contact at the back of the restaurant, and he was nervous. So, I left with him, but decided to give a message to our waitress for you. I told her to wait until you decided to leave…it would look better that way, in case you were being watched. That's it," Lee said with a smile. He was pretty pleased with himself.

"That's it?" Amanda asked. "The Russians weren't after you? Zinoviev's not back?"

"Zinoviev?" Lee answered. He was quite perplexed. Why did she mention Zinoviev? He had been deported quite a while ago. The last he'd heard was that he'd been sent to a Siberian camp.

"You know…you said 'feed the fish'. I knew you meant when the Russians thought I was you. So, I figured they must be involved, and that was your way of letting me know."

"Amanda, I mentioned the fish because I knew you would remember feeding my fish at my apartment. That's it. No Russians. I got what I needed and it's all done. I didn't want to give the waitress any unnecessary information."

"Oh." Amanda was a little disappointed. She had kind of been looking forward to working with Lee today. Now, it was all over.

"I really do appreciate your help today," Lee said. He could tell she was let down. "You…well, you're getting pretty good at this stuff."

Amanda smiled. Lee had actually paid her a compliment. She got up from the couch, and said, "Well, Lee, I guess if that's it, I'll head home. The boys will probably be finished at the park, but I think I'll swing by, just in case. I hope you have a Happy Fourth."

He led her to the door. As he opened it, he said, "Uh, thanks for going with me today. Hey, you paid the check…here's $20."

"Oh, Lee, you don't have to."

"I insist. You shouldn't have had to pick up the check," he said, and forced the bill into her hand. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Lee," Amanda said, then left. It had definitely been an interesting afternoon, but it was time to get back to the real world.

SMK SMK

It was eleven o'clock at night. Amanda was curled up on her couch, reading a book. The boys were safely tucked into bed. She took a sip of her hot cocoa and thought back on her day. Yes, today had definitely been different from the last two Fourth of Julys. She didn't have a husband or a boyfriend…but, she definitely had a man in her life. And, what a man… Although he was definitely the best-looking man she'd ever known, Lee certainly had his flaws- he really was very rude a lot of the time. But, with Lee in her life, things were definitely more exciting than they ever had been.

Yes, life was definitely good.

SMK SMK

It was eleven o'clock at night. Lee was sprawled on his couch, flipping channels with his remote. He thought back over his day. It had been fairly routine. He'd gotten some good information from his new contact, Augie, which would be helpful in the future. Augie seemed like a decent guy, though a bit nervous. 'I hope he calms down,' Lee thought to himself.

Amanda, however, seemed to definitely be improving. She had really impressed him with how quickly she'd arrived at his apartment. He was proud of her. 'She's really getting to be a good part…a good helper,' he thought to himself. He couldn't believe he'd almost said partner. It had now been two years since Eric's death. He'd heard the other day from Francine that Elizabeth had gotten married. He remembered Eric asking him to be his best man. Life had moved on, but Lee hadn't forgotten his partner. However, Lee felt that he could now remember Eric without that overpowering feeling of guilt. When had that happened? Lee thought about it and realized it was sometime in the past year…when he'd been working with Amanda. He laughed to himself. Amanda definitely kept him on his toes. He never knew when she'd get herself in trouble.

Yes, life was definitely good.


	4. July 4, 1985

_July 4, 1985_

The Fourth of July began dreary and wet, as usual. Amanda really had no idea what the day would hold. The boys had been invited to spend the night with the Lightners. They were going to see the new movie, _Back to the Future_, and then watch the fireworks from their backyard. Dotty was in the kitchen, reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee, while the boys gathered their stuff together.

"Mom!" Jamie called out. "What time is Mr. Lightner getting here?"

Amanda smiled. Jamie was so excited about going to see the movie and couldn't wait for the Lightners to pick them up. "He'll be here around 9:30, Jamie. You have time to get packed and ready to go. Did you finish your breakfast?"

"Yes, Mom. Phillip!" Jamie yelled as he ran up the stairs. Amanda shook her head and turned towards the kitchen. She fixed herself a cup of coffee and sat next to her mother.

"Amanda," Dotty said. "Did you know that Princess Penelope is back in town? I just read about it in the paper. Gee, she was so nice…I wonder if she'll give you a call? You two seemed to hit it off pretty well the last time she was here. Oh! Wouldn't it be wonderful if she invited you over and you met royalty? I mean, there must be some single duke or earl or something or other with her!"

Amanda glanced at her mother and replied, "No, Mother, I hadn't heard anything about it. I don't know if I'll hear…" Before she could finish, the phone rang. Dotty looked at Amanda and grinned.

"Hello?" Amanda said, then smiled. "Oh, hello, Your Highness…all right, Penny. How are you? Yes, I was just talking to Mother about…tonight?" She glanced at Dotty who was violently nodding her head. "Yes, I could get together with you tonight…oh…well, I don't know what…yes…that sounds good. I'll be there! It'll be great to catch up!" She hung up the phone and looked at her mother. "Well, Mother, I guess you were right…Princess Penelope has invited me to come see her."

"Oh my gosh, Amanda! It's just like a fairytale. Now, what are you going to wear? I'm going right up to look through your dresses…"

"Mother, it's just a little get together, not a formal ball."

"All right, all right…" Dotty trailed off as she headed up the stairs.

Amanda shook her head. Her mother was so predictable. As she took her mug to the sink, she heard a knock on the back door. A smile came to her face as she walked over to see Lee.

"Hi, there…is it safe?" Lee whispered, glancing around.

"Mother and the boys are upstairs. What's up?"

"Have you heard from anyone today?" He had a little smile on his face.

Amanda grinned. She should've known. "Maybe," she responded. "What do you know about it?"

Lee shrugged and looked around.

"Actually, I heard from Princess Penelope. Apparently, she and Prince Reza have come back in town and she wanted to see me. She, uh, also asked me to see if you wanted to join me," Amanda said, a little uncertainly.

"Oh, she did?" Lee said. Then, he smiled. "OK, yes, I knew they were back and I knew she was going to call you. I met with Reza last night to discuss their security detail. He mentioned that Penny would love to see you, so I told him to have her call you."

"So, are you going to come with…I mean…are you going, too?" Amanda stammered. She looked at him, trying to guess what he was thinking.

"Yeah, I'm going. I'll pick you up at 3, if that's all right?" Lee looked at Amanda. She really was cute when she looked perplexed. That stopped him for a second. Amanda, cute? Where did that thought come from? They were just friends, and she was definitely not his type.

"That sounds great!" Amanda smiled. She couldn't help but feel excited by the idea of spending the evening with Lee, even if it wasn't technically a date. However, it definitely wasn't business, at least on her end.

Lee smiled back, then looked in the house as he saw Dotty coming back into the kitchen. He motioned to Amanda, then slipped out the back. Amanda smiled and went back in the house. It was going to be a great day after all.

SMK SMK

At 3:00, Dotty stared outside the window. She became flustered when she saw a vehicle pull up in front of the house and a man in a chauffeur's uniform get out. "Amanda!" she called out. "Amanda, there is a limousine sitting in front of our house! Oh my gosh, Edna Gilstrap is going to be so jealous!"

"Mother, why don't you open the door for the man?" Amanda walked down the stairs, dressed in a sparkling royal blue blouse and black slacks.

"Oh, Amanda, you look just great! I really hope there are some single men there for you to knock their socks off!" Dotty gushed. She really was so proud of how her daughter had turned out. A few years ago, when Joe had finally left for good, Dotty had been worried about Amanda. She had been so melancholy about the end of her marriage that Dotty thought she'd never be happy again. But, here they were three years later and Amanda looked great. She was self-confident and seemed to get happier all the time. That job at IFF must really be interesting. Dotty wondered if there weren't some man at work that had caught Amanda's eye. She really hoped that Amanda would find somebody. She was too good to spend the rest of her life alone.

"Mother…" Amanda said, apparently for the second or third time. "Where were you, Mother? I've tried to say goodbye at least three times." Amanda laughed. Dotty smiled at her.

"Oh, just woolgathering. You really do look fabulous, darling. Have a good time. I won't wait up!" Dotty grinned and waved as Amanda walked down the sidewalk.

As Amanda got in the car, she saw Lee sitting in the back in a nice suit. "Hello," Amanda said as he grabbed her hand to assist her in.

"Amanda, you look, uh, amazing," Lee stammered. He was so used to seeing her in everyday casual or business attire, that when she dressed up it just blew him away. She really _was_ beautiful. He cleared his throat and continued to a safer subject. "Are you looking forward to seeing Penny?"

"Actually, I am. She and I have kept in touch a little over the past couple of years, but that's not the same as catching up in person," Amanda replied. She glanced around the limo and then back at Lee. "This is a really nice car, Lee. You threw Mother for a loop!"

Lee laughed and answered, "Actually, Penny sent it for you. I just tagged along for the ride. I would've met you at the door, but figured…"

"…that Mother would be waiting," she finished for him. They laughed and continued chatting during the ride. Neither one seemed to notice that Lee had never let go of her hand.

SMK SMK

Penny was waiting at the door of the Zaquirian Embassy for Amanda and wasn't too surprised to see Lee Stetson walking with her. She shook her head and smiled.

"Amanda," Penny called out. "I am so glad to finally see you again!" She held her hands out and Amanda took them in her own.

"It's been a long time, Penny. I'm so glad you invited me this afternoon!" Amanda gushed as Penny led them into the Embassy. Amanda looked around her as she walked through, impressed by the décor. For a small country, Zaquir really had a beautiful Embassy.

Penny led them to a small courtyard where several people milled around. Penny explained, "Reza and I invited several of our friends from Washington today. We haven't seen many of you since our last trip to America in 1983, so we thought this would be a good way to visit with everyone."

"Penny, you look amazing. In fact, you're glowing!" Amanda said. "I take it things are much better now than they were?"

Penny beamed. "Oh, they are wonderful! In fact…" Penny bent over and whispered in Amanda's ear, "…I'm expecting! I guess sexy nightgowns really do work!"

"Oh, Penny, that's wonderful," Amanda raved. She grasped Penny in a hug. Amanda glanced over at Lee, who was glancing around the courtyard. He seemed to be mentally checking off who was in attendance.

Penny caught the glance, but said nothing. "Now, Amanda," Penny whispered, "this is a secret. I'm only a couple of months along, so Reza doesn't want it out yet."

"You can count on me," Amanda assured. "No one will hear it from me."

"Well," Penny countered. "If you want to tell Mr. Stetson, you can." Penny winked at Amanda, then said, "I need to visit with some of my other guests, but I'll be back as soon as I can!"

Amanda smiled as Penny walked away, then turned to Lee. "So, Lee," Amanda asked, "are you here on Agency business?"

Lee looked at Amanda and replied, "Well, not officially. But, when Billy found out we would be here, he said to keep an eye on things. Reza doesn't like a lot of American interference, but we are their largest ally and it wouldn't be good if something happened while they were on American soil."

Soon, waiters came out with refreshments and Lee led Amanda to a little table. They sat together and began sampling the various treats the Zaquirian government had provided.

Throughout the afternoon, Penny would watch Amanda and Lee to see what they were doing. She noticed that they never got far from one another and Lee rarely took his eyes off of her. 'Very interesting,' she thought to herself.

SMK SMK

Later that evening, after most of the guests had left, Lee and Amanda stood on a balcony with Penny and Reza, watching the fireworks display. As the finale burst forth, Lee turned to Amanda and said, "I think it's time for us to go," and motioned to a yawning Penny. Amanda smiled and nodded. They turned to the royal couple and Lee said, "Your Highness, we've had a wonderful time. Thanks so much for including us. However, we must be going."

Penny grinned widely at Amanda, who gave her a funny look in return. Penny walked over to Amanda and took her by the arm. "Amanda, it was so good seeing you again. It is so nice having a friend to talk to for a change…do you mind if I call you if I have questions about my pregnancy? I just don't think I can ask Reza's grandmother!" Penny laughed and Amanda joined in.

"Penny, you know you are more than welcome to call, write, whatever…I love hearing from you. And I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have, though it's been awhile since I had babies around," Amanda smiled at Penny. Penny grinned back. "What?" Amanda asked.

"Nothing," Penny laughed, then glanced at Lee. Amanda followed her gaze and began to blush. "Nothing at all, Amanda."

Lee walked over to Amanda and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for a wonderful evening. Amanda?" He held out his arm to Amanda. Amanda turned and hugged the princess, then took Lee's arm. Together, they walked out of the Embassy.

Penny turned and saw her husband standing a few feet away from her. Reza walked over to her and said, "Well? Did you have a good time? Are you feeling OK?"

Penny replied, "Oh, Reza, darling, it was terrific. It was so good spending time with Amanda. I told her our good news." Reza smiled lovingly at his wife. "Reza, I'm going to tell you something…I bet you anything that Lee and Amanda end up together. They won't admit it…yet…but there is something between them. You can tell in the way they act."

Reza smiled. "Matchmaking, Penny? I will admit, though, that Mr. Stetson didn't go far from Amanda's side. And she only had eyes for him."

"Well, I only have eyes for you, my darling," Penny said, and they turned to head to their rooms.

SMK SMK

It was 1 a.m. and Amanda was sitting in her bed, thinking about what a wonderful day she'd had. Seeing Penny so happy had been a nice surprise. She was so glad for her friend. She knew that Penny would be a great mother. Amanda thought back to when she had been pregnant with the boys. With Phillip, she'd been so worried about money. Joe was still in law school, and they didn't have a lot. They had moved in with Joe's parents for awhile to try and save up for a house. The whole pregnancy had been wrought with stress and fear. But, Phillip had been the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen and Joe had been so proud. With Jamie, it had been different. Joe had a good job and they were living in a nice apartment, but Joe hadn't been thrilled with having another mouth to feed while Phillip was still in diapers. Amanda had spent her pregnancy worried over how they would get along. But, Jamie had been so adorable and such an easy baby. Joe loved him just as much as Phillip and they had done fine, eventually buying the house on Maplewood.

Amanda started thinking about what it would be like to have a pregnancy without worry about money or jobs or even how her husband felt about another baby. Did she even want more children? It would be nice to have a little girl…maybe with blond hair…and hazel eyes that looked just like her daddy's…

"Amanda King, you stop thinking that way right now!" she scolded herself. "Lee will never think of you that way. You are his friend, and you are going to be the best friend he has, but he will never fall in love with you. You are not his type!"

But, as she settled herself back on her pillows, she thought to herself, 'It doesn't hurt anything to dream about him, though….'

SMK SMK

It was 1 a.m. and Lee was finally getting into bed. It had been a long day, but he really had enjoyed himself. It was funny, but he really liked spending time with Amanda now. She was smart and could talk about a wide variety of topics. He could be himself around her, especially since he wasn't trying to impress her or get her into bed. It was nice to have someone like that in his life. Reliable, dependable… She was his best friend. He thought to himself, 'If you had told me two years ago that I would consider Amanda King my best friend, I would have laughed in your face!' He chuckled.

She really had changed a lot in his life. He had a cleaner apartment (of course, it helped that he moved once a year!), didn't stay out late very often, and had a better solve rate than he had on his own. She really had become a good partner, and he didn't mind admitting that to himself any longer. Of course, he wouldn't admit it to many people at work, but that was different. No, Amanda was great. She was smart, brave, beautiful… Yes, she was beautiful, even if she wasn't his type. It didn't hurt at all to have someone normal in his life. He had gotten somewhat tired of the same old bimbettes he met in bars.

Maybe he should start thinking about looking for someone more like Amanda…but, not Amanda…no, she wasn't his type. But, maybe someone like her…


	5. July 4, 1986

_July 4, 1986_

The Fourth of July began cloudy and dry. Amanda was excited because she was in New York with Lee to help with security prior to the Statue of Liberty's centennial celebration. They had spent the last few days going over security details with the Secret Service and everything had run smoothly. In fact, they had finished their work late the night before. Since the boys were with Joe for the weekend, they had offered to stay in New York for the duration of the celebration, in case anything came up. Billy had agreed, with a knowing little grin on his face. They had plans to spend the time together, maybe watch the fireworks. Amanda was excited to spend the day with Lee and couldn't wait to get started.

As she got ready, the phone rang. "Hello?" Amanda asked, then smiled. "Hi, Lee. I'll meet you there in 5 minutes." She hung up the phone and sighed happily. A tiny part of her still couldn't believe that Lee was actually interested in her romantically. Over the last year, she had felt him giving signs and then that kiss in the Q Bureau…well, it was just everything she'd wanted and more. Since then, they had gone on a few dates when they could, eating at Emelio's for dinner or going to a movie. With a sigh, she quickly finished getting dressed, then grabbed her purse and headed to her hotel door. Just as she was about to walk out, there was a knock. She opened the door and grinned. Lee was standing there.

"Good morning," Lee smiled. "I couldn't wait any longer, so I figured I'd just meet you here instead of at the restaurant." He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. A quick jolt of electricity flooded through both of them. How could one little kiss do that? Lee wondered. Yet, it happened every single time. It was something he'd never experienced before.

Amanda grinned. "Good morning to you! I was just heading out to meet you." Lee grinned back, then took her hand and led her to the elevators. As they entered the elevator, Lee looked at her and said, "So, I was looking at some the events they have planned today and saw that they're having a naval review on the Hudson. Do you want to check it out? Might be fun…"

Amanda nodded and said, "That sounds great, Lee. When is it?"

"In about an hour…we could grab some coffee and a donut or something, and then head out…if you want," Lee answered. He looked at Amanda and smiled. Part of him couldn't believe that they were actually dating. He'd had fantasies about her for what seemed like a lifetime, but he'd never thought he'd ever be in a relationship with her. Now, he couldn't believe he'd waited so long.

She nodded her agreement and they headed outside. Together, they walked down the street to a little corner bakery. They both ordered coffee, and Amanda picked up a blueberry muffin. Lee hailed a cab and they were off to view the ships.

SMK SMK

At 1:00, Lee and Amanda were back at the hotel. The ships had been breathtaking. There had been naval ships and sailing ships from around the globe, with President Reagan watching from the USS Iowa. They had enjoyed sitting on a park bench, with Lee's arm around her, watching the ships pass by. It had been a lovely, lazy morning. As they approached the elevators, Lee said, "Amanda, I'm going to go check and see if we have any messages. Do you want to meet in the restaurant in, say, 20 minutes?"

"Sure, Lee, sounds like a plan to me," Amanda smiled. She headed to her room to freshen up. The light on her phone was blinking, so she went to retrieve her message. It was her mother.

"Amanda, I was just checking in and wanted to see if you were having a good time. I am heading out in a few minutes with Captain Kurt. We're going to fly to the coast for a clambake…doesn't that sound like fun? Anyway, I hope you're having fun…maybe you'll meet some handsome devil…don't do anything I wouldn't do. Love you…goodbye!"

Amanda grinned at the message. Her mother would never change, always wanted Amanda to meet someone. Amanda wondered to herself what her mother would think of Lee. She grinned at the look she imagined her mother would give her. "She'd probably say he was an eleven or something!" Amanda laughed. Dotty would love Lee…hopefully, one day she'd be able to introduce them to each other. "I wonder what the boys would think of him. Phillip would love his car right off, but what would Jamie think?" With those thoughts, she finished freshening up, then headed down to the restaurant. A few minutes later, she saw Lee heading towards her with a big grin on his face.

"You are never going to believe who left me a message," Lee said. He clasped his hands behind his back and rocked back and forth on his feet.

"Who?" Amanda laughed. She loved when Lee acted like this. He was like a kid in a candy store!

"Emily," Lee grinned.

"Emily?" Amanda responded. "How did she find you?"

"Well…" Lee drawled and shrugged his shoulders. He loved surprising Amanda- she was always so excited and happy with anything he gave her. "OK, I knew there was a chance she might be here for the centennial, but didn't know if things would work out, so I let her know where we would be…and she called."

"So…" Amanda asked.

"So," Lee smiled. "How would you like to meet her for dinner at the Russian Tea Room?"

"That would be wonderful, Lee! How long has it been since we've seen Emily…two years?"

"Something like that. This is great! I told her we'd meet her at 6…was that OK?" Lee looked a little uncertain. He'd been sure that Amanda would want to see Emily, but he didn't know if he should've accepted without asking her first. This whole relationship thing was a mystery to him, and he was afraid of messing it up. It was funny- he'd spent the last few years teaching Amanda how to be an agent, and now she was teaching him how to be in a normal, loving relationship.

Amanda watched as Lee seemed to squirm a little. "Lee, it was perfectly fine to accept. Normally, it would be a good idea to check with me, but in this case, you knew exactly how I would feel. You did fine," she said as she rubbed his arm. He smiled at her and they gazed into each other's eyes. The world seemed to fade away for a minute, then Amanda shook her head and said, "I think we might want to go ahead and eat lunch then, don't you think?"

Lee grinned, kissed her gently, and led her into the restaurant.

SMK SMK

As Lee and Amanda approached the legendary Russian Tea Room, he glanced over at her. She was so beautiful, especially when she dressed up a little. She was wearing a black pantsuit with a dark red sequined jacket and her hair was pulled back with matching red combs. He led her to the maître d', then asked if Emily had arrived. The maître d' nodded and led them to one of the Tea Room's famous red banquettes. Emily stood and greeted Amanda with a hug. "Amanda! It's been far too long since I've seen you!"

"Emily!" Amanda exclaimed. "I can't tell you how excited I was when Lee told me we were going to see you tonight!"

"Yes, Emily," Lee added. "It's been far too long." He took Emily's hand, then pulled her into a hug. Amanda and Lee stood together and Emily glanced at them appraisingly before motioning for them to sit.

"I hope you don't mind, dearies," Emily said, "But I went ahead and ordered an appetizer for us." She smiled. "So, Amanda, tell me…how have you been?"

Amanda launched into small talk about her boys and mother, with Emily making little comments here and there. However, while Amanda gabbed, Emily kept glancing at Lee. Lee was riveted on Amanda, laughing here and there, but never looking away. He never noticed Emily watching him. Soon, the waiter arrived, bringing the Caviar Tasting appetizer and a bottle of Chardonnay.

"Caviar?" Amanda exclaimed. "Emily, this is too much!"

"Nonsense," Emily replied. "Nothing is too much for good friends I see far too little of. Tonight is my treat. I want to celebrate our nation's birthday and reunite with my 'niece and nephew'."

They shared the caviar, remarking on its flavor and the wine. The waiter arrived for their orders. Emily ordered the Shaslik Tasting, while Lee ordered the Chicken a la Czar. Amanda went back and forth, finally settling on Chicken Kiev. Emily ordered a Merlot for their dinner and they continued to chit chat. Throughout the evening, Emily would watch Lee, then Amanda. Neither of them seemed to notice the elder spy's interest, but continued trying not to let on that they were a couple.

After dinner was finished, Amanda excused herself to the ladies' room. After placing an order for the Famous Tea Room Blintzes and coffee, Emily turned to Lee.

"So," Emily began with a smile. "You've finally realized you're in love with Amanda. I'm so happy for you!"

Lee stared at Emily in disbelief. "How did you…I mean, what are talking about, Emily?"

"Lee, I've known you for a very long time. It's obvious, at least to me, that you are in love with her. You can't keep your eyes off of her," Emily whispered to him. "I realize that this must be fairly new to you, and maybe you haven't even admitted it to yourself, but it's there in your eyes. You love Amanda…and I can't say how much I approve of your choice! I've known since our sojourn in Germany that you were made for each other."

Lee continued staring at Emily. He couldn't believe that Emily had figured it out so quickly. In love with Amanda…yes, he knew deep down that he was. He knew that he couldn't imagine his life without her, but he wasn't ready to tell her he loved her yet. Call it fear, call it cowardice, whatever…Lee had never felt this way before, and he was just getting used to being in a real relationship. He didn't want to rush…no, he was, plain and simple, afraid to tell her right now. What if she didn't feel the same?

"Emily…" Lee began. "I really…" he stopped and looked at his friend, the closest thing he really had to a mother. "You're right…I do…I don't really know when it happened, but I do…and I'm terrified that she…"

"Are you seeing each other?"

"Yes," Lee couldn't believe he'd admitted it someone, but it felt so good to let someone in on their secret. He knew Emily could be trusted.

"Then that should answer your question. Though, frankly, Lee, I'm surprised at you. It should be obvious to you how much Amanda loves you. She's loved you for a long time, but couldn't show it until she knew you were ready to see it," Emily whispered, laying a hand over his.

"Do you really think she loves me? Is in love with me?" Lee stammered. "I mean, I think so, but…"

"But you've never allowed yourself to be open to any kind of lasting relationship? Lee, that woman loves you more than anything. She would do anything for you, risk life and limb…yes, Lee, she's in love with you," Emily laughed at the poor fellow. "And you should tell her how you feel."

"I will, Emily, but I'm not ready yet," Lee answered, then held up his hand to silence Emily as she started to speak. "I promise…I will tell her soon…just not right now."

Before they could continue, Amanda returned. Lee stood to allow her back into the banquette and Emily smiled at her. Their evening continued with laughter and stories, long into the evening. Emily was so happy for her friends. She'd been so worried about Lee for so long, and now it seemed that he had finally found true love.

SMK SMK

It was midnight and Amanda was settling into bed for the evening. It had been a long, glorious day spent with Lee. After their dinner with Emily, Lee and Amanda had headed back to the hotel to watch the fireworks from his balcony. It had been an amazing display, the largest in American history. As they stood watching the majestic show, Lee put his arms around Amanda and she leaned back into them. They stood like that for what seemed like an eternity until the show ended. Then, Amanda turned around and gazed into Lee's eyes.

"Lee," Amanda whispered. "Today has been the best Fourth of July in my life…because of you. You are amazing." She smiled at him and he leaned down and began to kiss her. Their lips met and the familiar jolt of electricity traveled throughout her body. Lee deepened the kiss and Amanda felt like she would melt into the floor. It amazed her what a simple kiss from Lee could do to her. She wondered what it would be like to be with him completely, then all thoughts flew out of her head as they continued to embrace.

"Amanda," Lee whispered. "I want to tell you that I…I…well, I…" Amanda looked at him expectantly. Was he going to tell her that he loved her? She thought that he did, but he hadn't said it out loud yet. "I…am so glad that you and I are…together now. You make me feel…" Lee gave up trying to say it, and just pulled her towards him and kissed her again. They had stayed that way for a long time, enjoying the closeness and being swept up in the emotion. Eventually, Lee had walked her back to her room, kissing her one last glorious time, promising to see her in the morning.

Looking back on the evening, Amanda thought to herself, 'He does love me. He just can't say it yet…and that's OK. He's never been involved like this before and, sometimes, I just can't believe he picked me!' She remembered the previous few Fourth of Julys: last year's with Penny, "Wouldn't Penny gloat right now!" Amanda giggled; her first family date with Dean, "Poor Dean," she said, shaking her head, "He really never stood a chance after I met Lee!"; and then, she remembered the last one with Joe. At the time, she'd thought her life was over, that she was a failure. Now, she realized that, without that painful decision that day, she wouldn't have the life she had now. It had been rough surviving the divorce, but it had turned out to be the best decision of her life. Joe was meant to be her friend, she realized. Lee, on the other hand…Lee was her soulmate.

Yes, life was full of surprises. Lee was the best surprise of all.

SMK SMK

It was midnight and Lee was staring out his window. It had been a wonderful day with Amanda. He thought about his conversation with Emily. "She really knows me too well," Lee said to himself, laughing. He felt really lucky to have people like Emily…and Billy in his corner. He thought back to the many times Billy had insisted that Lee work with Amanda, and when Emily had "suggested" they use Amanda for various cases. With a smile, he realized that his two friends had figured it out long before Lee did- that Amanda was exactly what he needed.

He thought back to that horrible Fourth of July in 1982 when he lost his partner, Eric. He thought about how he had sworn never to have a partner again, and how he had pushed everyone away. And now…now, he had the best partner he'd ever had, and he loved her. He loved Amanda. It felt so right to think those words. "I love Amanda," Lee said out loud.

He thought back earlier to when they were watching fireworks. It had felt like heaven to hold Amanda in his arms. Kissing her was the most incredible feeling in the world. He wondered what it would be like to hold her in his arms all night long, becoming one with her. He had come so close tonight to telling her that he loved her, but he just couldn't do it…not yet. He wanted to make sure that he was worthy of her love before he told her.

He'd been with so many women…and Amanda had seen quite a few of them. He remembered Amanda and Eva. "Amanda saw through her in a minute," he sighed. "I am so lucky she's stuck by me and helped me all these years." He thought about Amanda's impression of Randi and the other "lady friends" she'd met at various times. "I can't believe I ever wanted to be with any of them. They were so shallow compared to Amanda." He thought about Elisa Danton. It had been years since he'd seen her, but he knew she couldn't hold a candle to Amanda.

Amanda was so much better than any of those women. She was a fighter, unwilling to let anything or anyone hurt her children. She was courageous, never flinching when danger threatened. She was intelligent, figuring out problems when no one else could. She was simply Amanda, and he never wanted to be apart from her. He loved Amanda more than he ever thought possible, but he wanted to make sure that she knew she was different from anyone in his past before he used those words. He needed Amanda to know that she was his soulmate.

Life was full of many surprises. Amanda was the best surprise of all.


	6. July 4, 1987

_July 4, 1987_

The Fourth of July began dreary and dry. Amanda didn't care…today was going to be a wonderful day. Lee was coming over to spend the holiday with their family. They hadn't made any specific plans- Lee and the boys would probably play basketball and Amanda was going to grill some burgers. Dotty had no plans either, so it was going to be a relaxing day at home. Lee was really becoming a part of the family and she couldn't be happier. Jamie had finally relaxed and was getting to know Lee. He had even started dropping hints that he wouldn't mind if Lee became a permanent member of their home. Of course, Phillip had latched onto Lee almost from the beginning- the Corvette had been a big selling point. But, as Lee had become a more active participant at the King house, Phillip and Lee had discovered many shared interests. Now, Jamie was discovering that Lee was interested in things he liked as well.

Amanda wondered how the boys would react if they knew that Lee was already a member of their family. Would they be angry to know that they were already married? She was so tired of the mystery marriage, and thought that Lee was as well. They had had good intentions when they made the decision to keep their marriage secret, but hadn't thought about the downside. Lee deserved to be a real part of a family. In fact, Amanda planned on broaching the subject of ending the mystery once and for all with Lee when he came over for breakfast.

As she began to prepare the food, she thought back to that devastating day five years ago. When she realized her marriage to Joe was through, she thought that her life was effectively over. That night had been the death of her youthful dreams of a life with Joe. Looking back, she knew that all of the wonderful changes in her life had begun that day, even though she hadn't realized it at the time. She glanced at the back window and smiled, remembering the many times Lee had peeked at her through the glass, always a secret from her family. Now, he came in the front door, welcomed by one and all.

The doorbell rang. As always, Lee had impeccable timing. She hurried to answer it and opened the door to her handsome husband. "Good morning," Lee said with a grin. He leaned over and kissed her. "I'm not too early, am I?"

"Never," Amanda answered with a smile and motioned for him to enter. "The boys are still asleep and Mother is in the shower. Want some coffee?" They walked together into the kitchen. "Since you're here, I want to talk to you about something, Lee." She looked at him shyly.

"OK, what's up? Is everything all right?" Lee replied with concern. She loved how in tune he was with her. Joe had never seemed to understand her at all. She always put a happy front up for him, never wanting to worry Joe with any of her little worries. Lee, on the other hand, wanted to know everything. She didn't even have to say a word to him and he knew when something was up.

"Well…" she began, feeling a little nervous, "I was wondering what you would think about telling Mother and the boys about us." Lee looked at her blankly. "I mean, about _us_…our marriage, our jobs…everything."

Lee looked stunned. "Amanda…are you sure? I mean, we…I thought…what about…" He took a deep breath. "What's going on, Amanda?"

She looked deeply into his eyes. She could tell that he was confused by her right now. They hadn't talked about ending the mystery, although both had mentioned many times how hard it was living apart. Lee especially hated the idea of going home to an apartment without his wife. She smiled at him and he relaxed a little.

"Lee, I've been giving this a lot of thought. You and I are both tired of living apart. You go home alone to that apartment every day. You get up alone every day. You are my husband, and I miss you when you aren't here. Jamie and Phillip love you and love having you around. My mother loves you. You are here all the time and we all adore you. If anyone wants to hurt us, don't you think it would be better for you to be here…with us? You could protect us so much better…here. I know we thought this was a good idea, but, Lee, honey, it isn't. You need to be here with me…and your family." Amanda felt such a relief after saying this to Lee. She looked at him and could see him processing what she had just expressed. She smiled at him and said, "Just think about it for awhile. I'm going to finish breakfast." She went to him, wrapped her arms around him, and gazed into his eyes. "I love you so much, Lee," she whispered, then pulled his head down to hers, kissing him with every fiber of her being.

SMK SMK

Lee was stunned by Amanda's speech. He watched her begin to prepare breakfast and then walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch. Was he ready for this? Lee thought back over the last few months. He had spent his entire adult life shying away from commitment. He'd drifted from woman to woman without thought, getting physical satisfaction but little else. He moved at least once a year, never staying in one apartment for very long. His life revolved around his job, one he did very well, and nothing else…until he met Amanda.

He thought back to five years ago when Eric had been killed. If someone had told him then that, in a few short years, he would meet his soulmate and eventually marry her, he would have laughed himself silly. And, yet, here he was…sitting in his wife's living room. He sighed…his _wife's_ living room. He wanted it to be _their_ living room. Amanda was right. He hated going home to his empty apartment. In the last few months, he'd spent more and more time here and as little time as possible over there. He loved being with her, no _their_, family, which still surprised him a little. He had never imagined that he would enjoy being with her boys, but he did. He loved watching football games with Phillip, arguing over plays and critiquing the different teams. He enjoyed watching documentaries on the Civil War with Jamie, discussing the different strategies of the generals, and arguing "what ifs".

Was he ready to end the mystery and let everyone know exactly how much Amanda meant to him? He thought about how Dotty would react. Would she be angry with them for hiding this from her? Would she hate him for dragging her daughter into a dangerous world and making her lie to her own mother? This worried Lee more than anything else. He could handle almost anything, but if Dotty hated him…if she never wanted him around…it would devastate him. Over the years, Lee had begun to think of Dotty as almost a surrogate mother. He'd spent most of his life without a mother or, with the exception of Emily, any mature female influence. Now, he had someone who doted on him, mothered him, and he didn't want to lose it. On the other hand, what if she was overjoyed? What if she welcomed him with open arms?

Lee sighed. He didn't really know what to think. He got up off the couch and walked into the kitchen. He watched as Amanda took bacon out of the frying pan, then poured the grease out. She carried the bacon over to the table, where she'd already placed a platter of pancakes, syrup, butter and a bowl of mixed fruit. She turned around and smiled at him. He grinned back. As he was walking over to her, Dotty walked into the kitchen.

"Lee, darling, good morning! You're here bright and early," she smiled and patted him on the cheek. "Good morning, Amanda, oh- you already have breakfast ready! Let me go get the boys- they were moving around in their rooms." She turned back around and headed to the stairs, calling out, "Phillip, Jamie! Lee's here and breakfast is ready!" The boys tumbled down the stairs as Amanda continued to smile at Lee. Lee laughed and walked over to Amanda, putting his arm around her waist, and whispered, "OK, let's do it." Amanda looked at him and gave him a brilliant smile. Together, they walked to the breakfast table.

SMK SMK

Right after breakfast, the boys asked if they could meet some of their friends at the park down the street. Seeing this as an opportunity to speak to Dotty alone, Amanda had readily agreed. They boys had grabbed their basketball, while Lee told them he'd get them in a couple of hours for lunch.

Once the boys were gone and the kitchen had been cleaned, Amanda asked her mother to join them in the living room. Dotty gave Amanda a strange look and sat down on the couch. Lee looked at Amanda, then joined Dotty on the couch, while Amanda sat on the chair facing them.

"Mother, um, Lee and I have something to…uh…" Amanda stammered, trying to figure out the best way to start. She looked to Lee for help. He stared at the floor, hoping it might have a magic answer for him. It didn't. He stared back at Amanda and shrugged.

Amanda looked at Dotty, who stared back at her. Amanda couldn't figure out the enigmatic look Dotty had. She took a deep breath and continued, "Mother, well, I don't know where to begin…OK, well, you know that Lee and I have been seeing each other for some time now…"

"Yes…" Dotty responded.

"Well, we've actually known each other for longer than you might think."

"Really?" Dotty answered. Again, Amanda couldn't figure out what her mother was thinking. Her answer didn't sound curious…it sounded…almost as if her mother was laughing.

"Um, Dotty, I've actually known Amanda for about 4 years, but we only started dating a year ago," Lee continued, trying to help.

"Mother, we're married," Amanda burst out. Dotty and Lee turned their heads simultaneously to look at Amanda. Lee was shocked and Dotty…well, Dotty just smiled.

"I know," she smirked.

Lee and Amanda turned their heads simultaneously to stare at Dotty. "You know?" they both gasped.

Dotty laughed. "Well, really, children…oh, come on, you honestly thought I didn't know? I've known for months! You were married when…on your trip to California, right? I figure it couldn't have been long before then because Lee wasn't around as much before that. Am I right? I found out while I was at the hospital with you, Amanda. Lee had signed the consent forms and then a nurse called him your husband. I will say I was somewhat shocked that you had done it secretly, but then, well, for the last few years, you've been pretty secretive about a lot of things, haven't you?" she gave Amanda a rather pointed look. "Anyway, I could see how devastated Lee was when you were…ill. I know you, my darling daughter, and I figured you had a reason for not telling me. I decided to keep your little secret until you felt like you could tell me. I have to admit, though, that I don't see how either of you thought you could be secretly married…it has to have been pretty rough on you. So…I take it you're tired of lying."

Amanda and Lee continued to stare blankly at Dotty while she spoke. When Dotty finished, Amanda blinked back tears and Lee cleared his throat. Finally, Lee answered Dotty, "Uh, yeah, Dotty, we, uh, wanted to end all the lies. We're both tired of being apart."

"All the lies?" Dotty asked. "Oh, so does this mean you're going to tell me about your jobs…I mean, your _real_ jobs?"

"Real jobs, Mother?" Amanda rasped. What on earth was going on? She knew it was going to be difficult to tell her mother everything, but this was surreal.

"Yes…I've been wondering for awhile now what it is you really do. I mean, last year when all those federal agents were looking for you and Lee…I knew then that you couldn't possibly work for a film company. And, when you gave Jamie that camera, he told me you knew nothing about film. So, are you with the FBI? CIA? Am I close?" Dotty started laughing. "Oh, I wish the two of you could see your faces…priceless. I'm sorry…it's just too funny. OK, I'm done now. Go ahead and tell me what you want to tell me."

Amanda and Lee then began the process of telling Dotty everything from the train station to falling in love to the decision to marry in secret to finally being ready to tell everyone. Dotty had nodded throughout the story and finally had said, "Darlings, I'm glad you've decided to tell everyone. The boys will be so excited to have you here permanently, son. I hope you're planning on moving in soon. It will be good for all of us to finally be together."

Amanda glanced over at Lee and smiled. Dotty had hugged him tightly and Lee had gotten a little misty eyed. The three of them decided that they would tell the boys at dinner, so that Amanda and Lee could recover from their surprise with Dotty. They decided to head to the apartment to get their wedding picture and their rings after lunch, and maybe a few clothes for Lee, just in case the boys accepted the news well. It had been quite a tumultuous morning.

On the drive over, Lee smiled at his wife and said, "One down. I still can't believe she already knew. But, I'm glad it went so well. How do you think it'll go with the boys?"

Amanda responded, "I can't honestly tell you. Mother shocked me this morning, so I don't think I can even hazard a guess."

Lee grinned. It had been quite a morning.

SMK SMK

The afternoon passed uneventfully. Lee picked the boys up and took them to pick up some sandwiches for lunch. Then, after an afternoon of basketball and just laying around watching a movie on TV, Lee helped Amanda set up the grill and played catch with the boys. Dotty helped Amanda prepare dinner, talking to her about different events over the years. While visiting, Amanda asked her mother, "Are you upset with me, Mother? I really didn't want to lie to you over the years, but I didn't really have a choice. You understand, don't you?"

Dotty smiled at her daughter. "Amanda, I've known you for a very long time. If you felt that you needed to keep me in the dark, you had a good reason. I've also seen you grow into a strong, confident, happy woman over the last few years. You are a good daughter, a great mother, and, if I may say so, an excellent wife. Lee is very lucky."

"I'm lucky, too, Mother. Thanks for being so understanding. I have been worried for so long that, once you found out about my secrets, you would be extremely angry with me," Amanda admitted, hugging her mother.

"I could never be angry with you, Amanda. I'm your mother," Dotty kissed her on the cheek and continued to prepare the meal. "Just make me a deal…no more secrets, at least personal ones, OK?"

Amanda grinned and nodded her head. "Deal."

Once dinner was ready, Amanda called the boys over to the picnic table. It had rained off and on all day, but it seemed to be holding off for the time being. Dotty had placed a tablecloth on the table, and towels on the seats. When everyone was seated, Lee stood up and said, "Phillip, Jamie, your mother and I need to talk to about something pretty important."

Jamie leaned over and whispered to Phillip, who whispered back, then piped up. "What's up, Lee?"

"Well, fellas," Amanda began, "What would you think about Lee as a permanent member of our family?"

Jamie laughed at Phillip, who was pulling a dollar out of his pocket. "Pay up, Phillip!"

Amanda looked at boys perplexed. "What's going on?"

Jamie answered. "Phillip and I bet when you'd tell us you were married. He guessed August, right before school started back, and I guessed July, probably around the Fourth. So, I win and he has to pay me a dollar!"

Lee looked back and forth between the boys. "You knew? How? When? Amanda?" He turned to his wife, who looked just as incredulous as he felt.

The boys started laughing even harder. Dotty looked at Lee and Amanda and started laughing with them.

"OK, boys, what's going on? How did you know Lee and I were married?" Amanda questioned.

"Well, do you remember when you picked Lee up from the airport a couple of months ago?" Phillip started.

"Well, we had been with Dad, but he had to drop us off early. We had just walked in the front door when we heard Lee say he missed his wife and you said you missed your husband and then you started kissing, so we hightailed it out the door, waited a few minutes, then made a bunch of noise coming in," Jamie continued.

"Yeah, we figured you didn't know we were there, and you'd be embarrassed that we caught you being mushy, so we acted like we had just came home," Phillip finished.

Amanda stared at her two sons and asked, "Why didn't you say anything?"

Jamie looked at her sheepishly. "Well, that was my idea. We talked about telling you, but then I thought it would be better to let you tell us when you wanted to. I kind of thought you didn't tell us 'cause I'd been so rude to Lee." He looked down at the table.

Lee looked at Amanda and said, "Jamie, hey, we didn't keep this a secret because of something you did, OK? It's just that, well…" He glanced at Amanda and she nodded. "Your mother and I don't exactly work for a film company and we…"

"What? I knew it!" Phillip exclaimed. "I knew you didn't work for a film company! Told you, Jamie!" Jamie nodded and handed Phillip the dollar back. Apparently, they had had another bet on their occupation.

Amanda shrugged and said, "Wow. I don't think I want to know how you figured that out! Well, Lee and I work for the federal government, for a group called the Agency. We're federal agents."

"Cool, Mom- you mean you're like James Bond?" Phillip smiled excitedly.

"Not exactly," Lee said.

Amanda was amazed. They told the boys the story they had told Dotty earlier, about the train station and a little of everything since then. They ate their meal while visiting and had a great time. The boys had a lot of questions and were amazed at how long Lee had really known them.

Later, Amanda had pulled Jamie aside and asked, "Are you sure you're OK with all of this?"

Jamie answered, "Yeah, Mom. Lee's great and I'm really happy for you. So, is he gonna finally move in here? I mean, you are married. Isn't it kind of weird for him to live across town?"

Amanda laughed. "Yeah, Jamie, it's kind of weird. I think it would be nice for Lee to live with us, don't you?"

Jamie nodded, then ran off to play ball with Phillip.

After all the excitement, Amanda and Lee relaxed in the living room. She was so relieved that her family knew everything- although, she was amazed that they had known for awhile and she had been totally clueless. She laughed and Lee turned to her.

"What's so funny?" he asked as he pulled her close.

"Us," she giggled. "We've been so worried about how everyone would react, and it turns out they figured it out all on their own. Some spies we are!"

Lee kissed her hair and murmured, "Agents…I don't care for the term 'spy'." Then he pulled her closer and began to kiss her gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss. It was so wonderful to be able to spend time with her husband while her family was around.

SMK SMK

As the evening progressed, they watched the fireworks in the front yard with the neighbors, then stayed up late playing cards. When Lee got up to leave for his apartment, everyone froze at the table. Phillip then said, "Dude, why are you going back there? We know you're married, so you live here now, right?"

Lee looked at Amanda. Amanda shrugged her shoulders, then Jamie piped up. "Lee, we want you to live here. In fact, I think we should start packing up your apartment tomorrow. Don't you?"

Amanda smiled at the boys and said, "They're right, Lee, you don't need to go anywhere. You're home."

"That's right, son," Dotty added. "So sit back down and let's get back to the game. It's my turn to beat you."

Lee looked around at everyone…his family and realized that they were right. He was home.


	7. July 4, 1988

_July 4, 1988_

The Fourth of July began cloudy and dry. Amanda was hoping the day would turn out better than the last two weeks had been, since Lee had been gone under zero contact conditions. The entire family missed him and she was tired of the separation. It had been years since they had gone this long without seeing each other, much less talking, and she ached to talk with him again. Originally, Amanda had been slated to go on the trip with Lee, since they were now officially partnered in the Q Bureau. However, she had come down with flu-like symptoms and Dr. Kelford had not cleared her for overseas travel. Lee had traveled to the Middle East with another agent. Since then, they'd heard no word other than that Lee had made all of his check-ins.

Joe had invited the boys over to his new house with Carrie the past weekend, wanting to spend quality time with them before his new baby arrived. Carrie was eight months along and the boys were excited to be big brothers. The boys were supposed to come home later on that day and Amanda had planned on grilling hamburgers. She could hear Dotty bustling about upstairs and smiled to herself. Her mother had made plans with Dr. Zernov, who had recently taken a professorship at Georgetown. Dotty seemed very taken with the Russian professor, and Amanda was glad. Captain Kurt had turned out to be more of a friend than anything else, and Dotty wanted more romantic companionship, although she had told Amanda she didn't really want to ever get married again.

"Good morning, darling," Dotty sang as she entered the kitchen breezily.

"Good morning, Mother, looks like you're off to an early start," Amanda commented. Dotty had brought a blanket and the picnic basket into the kitchen and Amanda smiled. Dotty was so happy.

"Yes, darling, Andrei and I are going for a picnic in the park, just like our first date several years ago, and then we're going to a faculty banquet tonight on the campus. It should be delightful."

"Well, I hope you enjoy yourselves. It's gonna be awful quiet around here this morning," Amanda smiled at her mother.

"No word from Lee, I take it?" Dotty queried. She wouldn't say it, but she was a little concerned for her daughter. She had seemed run down lately, tired all the time… Dotty looked at her daughter critically. "Amanda," she asked.

"Yes, Mother?" Amanda answered absently. She sat at the breakfast bar with the newspaper and was nibbling on a piece of toast.

"How have you been feeling lately?"

"Oh, you know…a little tired. I haven't been sleeping well since Lee left," Amanda smiled at her mother.

"All right, darling…maybe you should rest this morning," Dotty said. She suspected there was more to this story, but didn't want to press. 'Oh, but wouldn't it be wonderful if it were true?' she thought to herself. Dotty shrugged and continued gathering her things together. A few minutes later, she heard the honk of Dr. Zernov's car. She kissed her daughter goodbye and left for what she hoped would be a wonderful day.

SMK SMK

Amanda spent the morning straightening up the house and then settled onto the couch with a book. She knew her mother had been fishing for information this morning, and she hated keeping anything from her. Since they had confessed all last year, Amanda had been very straightforward with Dotty about everything…as much as she could. However, she couldn't tell her mother her news until after Lee came home. She remembered what had happened two weeks ago…

The day after Lee had left, Amanda had continued feeling ill. Dr. Kelford insisted she come into the clinic so he could run some tests, telling her, "You've worked very hard to reach agent status, but I can't allow you in the field until I find out what's going on." She had agreed. That afternoon, Dr. Kelford had asked her to return to the clinic.

"Well, Mrs. Stetson, I'm sorry to tell you that I can't authorize field work for you, except for light assignments. I'm going to monitor your situation closely," he said with a smile. Amanda had been shocked…what was wrong with her? "Dr. Kelford, sir, is this something I should be worried about? I know I've been feeling rundown, but the flu _is _going around…"

Dr. Kelford laughed. "Amanda, I really don't think I'd worry about this condition. It'll clear up in about eight months or so, give or take a couple of weeks."

Amanda stared blankly at him and repeated, "Eight months or….oh! Dr. Kelford, are you telling me I'm pregnant?"

"Most definitely, Amanda, congratulations!" Amanda had jumped up and given the older man a hug.

"Oh my gosh! I can't wait to tell Lee!" she gushed, then stopped. "Oh my gosh! Lee! He's zero contact right now! Doctor, you don't have to share this with anyone, do you?"

"Well, I'm technically supposed to tell Dr. Smyth, but I suppose I could lose the paperwork on my desk until Lee comes home…as long as it isn't too long from now."

Smiling from the memory, Amanda sat back on the couch and said to herself, "Oh, Lee, when are you going to be home?" _

Around noon, Amanda heard a distant ringing. She rubbed her eyes and realized it was the telephone. Apparently, she'd dozed off reading her book. She grabbed the phone and answered it, "Hello?"

"Miss me?" Amanda broke into a grin when she realized it was Lee on the phone.

"Lee! Does this mean what I think it means? Are you coming home?" she asked, unable to control the tears in her eyes.

"Yep! I finally finished this wretched assignment...longest two weeks of my life!" Lee responded. "So, do you have a date for tonight?"

Amanda chuckled. "Well, actually, I do, with two handsome young men. I'm very popular, you know."

Lee laughed. "Well, think I could squeeze into your harem? I should be home around 6, maybe sooner."

"I'll have dinner waiting," Amanda promised. "Oh, Lee, I can't wait to see you!"

"Same here, 'Manda, same here," Lee whispered. They hung up the phone and Amanda rushed upstairs to begin preparing for his arrival. She wanted tonight to be special.

SMK SMK

Around 5:00, Joe brought the boys home. Amanda met them at the door. "Hey, fellas, did you have a good time?" she asked as Joe helped bring their things in. "How's Carrie feeling?"

Joe kissed Amanda on the cheek. "She's pretty miserable…you remember how that last month can be. But, we're pretty excited about next month. Boy, it sure seems like yesterday that ours were tiny."

"I know it…time really flies, doesn't it? It's hard for me to believe that Phillip's going to be driving soon. He's nearly as tall as Lee!"

"And Jamie," Joe continued, "I can't believe how grown up he seems. He's not a little boy anymore." They started sharing memories of when the boys were little, before Joe had left on his trek to save the world.

Amanda smiled at the memories as well. She was so glad that she and Joe had remained friends and that he had found someone special like she had. It was good for the boys to see how close their parents still were. Joe gave the boys a couple of hugs, then said goodbye.

The boys ran upstairs with their stuff and Amanda started getting things ready for dinner. She began preparing the ground beef for grilling and hummed to herself. As she made herself busy, she didn't notice a familiar shadow at the back door. Lee watched his wife as she bustled about. It amazed him sometimes that she was really his wife. As Amanda turned toward the windows, Lee said, "Hi there!"

Amanda's face lit up and she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh, Lee! You're home! Oh, I'm so glad!" Lee bent down and kissed her, holding her close. They nestled together and stood there for quite some time. Finally, Amanda broke away and said, "I am so glad you're back. This had to be the longest two weeks of my life!"

Lee grinned and followed Amanda out of the kitchen, carrying his luggage with him. As they began walking up the stairs, Phillip and Jamie ran down, basketballs in hand. "Lee!" they both cried out. Lee laughed as they came at him, roughhousing and hugging. "Hey, man, glad you're back! Mom's been moping!" they laughed.

"Moping?" Lee questioned, looking at Amanda with a smile. She shrugged and he shook his head.

"Oh, fellas, now you scoot. Lee just got back and needs to put his stuff down. He'll shoot hoops with you later!" Amanda laughed and led Lee upstairs, while the boys headed outside.

"Wow, we get some alone time? How'd I rate that?" Lee chuckled. Amanda pulled him closer and kissed him again.

"Come here- I want to tell you something," Amanda whispered. Lee walked into the bedroom with her as she shut the door. They walked over to the bed and sat down together.

"Amanda, is anything wrong? You're kind of scaring me," Lee spoke quietly. He had missed Amanda on his mission, and had been worried about her while he'd been gone. He hadn't said anything to her, but when Dr. Kelford didn't clear her for travel, it had terrified him. The only time Dr. Kelford didn't clear someone was if there was a serious problem, not for just a cold or cough.

"No, sweetheart, nothing's wrong. Actually," Amanda smiled. "I think something is pretty terrific!" She looked at her beloved husband and continued. "What do you think about finishing out the garage attic into an apartment for my mother?"

Lee looked at Amanda confused by her question. "Huh? Sure, we've been talking about it and I think it'd be a good idea, but what does that have to do with you?"

"Well, I just thought it'd be a good idea since we're going to need a nursery." Amanda watched Lee's face to see how he reacted. At first, he looked confused but then, slowly realization spread over his face.

"A nursery? Amanda, does this mean…are you…are we…having a baby?" Lee sputtered, then stared at his wife as she nodded her head. "We are? Oh my gosh! Are you sure?"

"Dr. Kelford did the test himself. He had me come in for tests after you left, and they confirmed that you're going to be a father in about seven months." Lee grabbed her and held her close. They held each other close, relishing the idea that their family was growing.

"Well, I'm already a father…to Phillip and Jamie. You know I think of them as my own," he admitted as he gazed at her with love. Amanda could feel tears well up in her eyes. It touched her so much whenever he said this about her boys…their boys. Lee had jumped in as a stepfather more than ever once he'd moved in. The boys had grown closer to Lee over the past year and had started going to him with problems.

"I know, and it makes me so proud and happy. But, you didn't get to experience them from the beginning. Now you do," Amanda grinned. The idea of Lee dealing with a newborn was a little funny to her, but she couldn't wait a single second to share it with him.

Lee held her close again, kissing her and whispering of his love for his family.

SMK SMK

Lee lay in bed, snuggling next to his sleeping wife. He thought back over the evening, how excited the boys and Dotty had been about another baby. A baby…life was definitely going to change again. Lee thought back over the changes in the past few years. Six years ago, he had been mourning the loss of his partner. He'd reached rock bottom not long after that. He couldn't deal with another loss in his life, so he became even more reckless with assignments, taking as many dangerous ones as Billy would allow. He'd filled up his black books with the names of women he didn't even care about.

Then, Amanda had entered his life. He chuckled when he thought back to how much she'd irritated him in the beginning. He'd hated Billy for saddling him with a "housewife". But, she'd changed his outlook on life, almost from the beginning. He had pushed her away, but she pulled him back, making him care about her despite his trying desperately not to.

He remembered the time he'd taken Amanda to see Penny and Reza for the Fourth and how Penny had cornered him that night. "Mr. Stetson, I don't normally say things out of turn, but I must. You have a wonderful woman there…you should grab the opportunity while you can," Penny had said. It had surprised Lee that the Princess had said something like that. But, it had opened Lee's eyes. He remembered how that had led him to Leslie. Leslie…what a mistake that had been. He'd knowingly picked someone that reminded him of Amanda, trying to prove it wasn't really Amanda he wanted. That mistake, though had led to another change, one for the better. When he'd seen how jealous Amanda had been of Leslie, he realized that she had feelings for him as well.

He thought back to Emily and how she'd seen how much he loved Amanda, and how scared he'd been to admit it. Now, it seemed so silly but, at the time, he'd been terrified. Kind of like how he felt now. A baby… When he'd married Amanda, he'd felt that his life was complete. Her sons were his sons now, and he loved them more than he'd ever dreamed possible. He'd never thought about adding any other children, but they'd done nothing to prevent it. He glanced over at Amanda. God, he loved this woman. He didn't know how he'd gotten so lucky, but he was never going to take her for granted. She was his partner, his best friend, his lover, his wife, his soulmate…and the mother of his children.

He knew this was one of the best days of his life.


	8. July 4, 1989

_July 4, 1989_

The Fourth of July began dreary and wet. Amanda was hoping that the day would brighten as it went along. The Weather Channel didn't give her much hope, but she wasn't giving up. Joe and Carrie were coming over for an old-fashioned barbeque, along with Billy and Jeannie, and Ephraim Beaman, who she'd finally become friends with. She knew that Katie's first Fourth of July was going to be spectacular. As she bustled about the kitchen, gathering things for breakfast, she kept an ear open to the baby monitor. At 3½ months, Katie was finally sleeping through the night, and Amanda hoped she could get breakfast going before she woke up.

As she began cracking eggs, she heard the back door opening. "Good morning, Mother," she called out as Dotty entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, darling. Ooh, you've started breakfast! Katie still asleep?" Dotty kissed her daughter on the cheek and went to the coffeemaker to pour herself a cup.

"Nope, Grandma. Katie just woke up and wants to play," Lee answered as he came in, cuddling his daughter in his arms. He walked over to Amanda and kissed her, then asked, "What do you need me to do? Katie doesn't seem hungry yet."

Amanda smiled and took her daughter from Lee, gave her a kiss, and snuggled her up close. "Well, I've got breakfast going here. You could go in the den with her and watch the news if you want."

Lee smiled and said, "Sure, how 'bout it, pumpkin? Want to go watch the news with Daddy?" He took the baby and walked into the den.

Dotty laughed at Lee, then proceeded to help her daughter prepare breakfast. "So, Amanda, what time is everyone arriving? I'm so glad that Joe and Carrie are coming with Sarah. This should be a fun day with two babies to fuss over."

"I told everyone that I was planning on having the food ready around 3, so they could come anytime they want. I figured Joe and his girls will get here early to spend time with the boys. But, I don't plan on anyone else getting here until 2 at the earliest."

Dotty started setting the table as Amanda finished scrambling the eggs. Lee walked in with the baby a few moments later, saying, "She's fussy now. Do you want me to get her bottle ready?"

Dotty came over and took the baby while Amanda spooned eggs into a plate. Lee looked over at his "girls" and smiled. It was amazing how content he felt. His life was everything he could have wanted…actually, everything he never thought he wanted. His daughter was beautiful and his family was happy. Life couldn't get any better than this.

SMK SMK

At noon, Joe and Carrie arrived with their daughter, Sarah. Phillip and Jamie ran out to help Joe bring in Sarah's things, while Amanda helped Carrie bring in potato salad. Lee met them at the door with Katie, and Sarah let out a huge laugh.

"Wow, Carrie, I can't believe how much she's grown!" Amanda said as she smiled at Sarah. "It's only been a week or so, but I swear she's grown an inch!"

"Don't I know it?" Carrie agreed. "She's only eleven months, but she's already wearing 18-month clothes! The last year has flown by. She's changed so much!"

Amanda smiled at Carrie. She really was perfect for Joe. Carrie had become a stay-at-home mother like Amanda had been with the boys, leaving her law practice behind. Joe seemed to be happy back in the States, and very happy with his new family. The boys loved Carrie as well and the two families had developed a really good relationship over the past few years. Lee and Amanda had even taken to watching Sarah every once in awhile to give Carrie and Joe a night out. Joe's parents had passed away while he'd still been married to Amanda, and Carrie's had been gone for a long time. With no extended family of their own, Amanda had welcomed Carrie, and now Sarah, into the fold.

"Well, Lee, looks like you've got a keeper there," Joe said as he walked in the door, smiling at Katie and Lee. Lee laughed and shut the door behind every one. Carrie spread a blanket out on the floor and put some of Sarah's toys on it. Sarah crawled over to them and immediately put one of the dolls' arms into her mouth. Jamie got on the floor with her and started playing with her, so Carrie got up and headed to the kitchen with Amanda.

"Amanda, thank you so much for inviting us over here today," Carrie gushed. She watched as Amanda started cleaning up the kitchen and getting things ready for the barbecue later on. "How do you do everything? I feel like I'm just getting into the groove of things at home."

"Oh, Carrie, you're doing great," Amanda responded, seeing the look of guilt on the younger woman's face. "You have to remember, I've been doing this a lot longer than you have, plus I have my mother and two boys to help me out. When Phillip was Sarah's age, I felt just like you did."

Carrie's face lit up. "Really, Amanda? That makes me feel so much better. I mean, sometimes Joe works so late, and I feel like I have no one to…well, I guess I just really miss my mom at times. I wish I'd had a brother or sister to talk to when I get lonely."

"Well, Carrie," Amanda walked over to her and put her arm around her shoulder. "You are always welcome here. You know you can always come visit Mother during the day…Sarah can play with Katie when she's a little bit bigger. I know they really aren't related, but they share brothers and that's still family in my book."

"You know, Amanda, that really is sweet. It really means a lot to me," Carrie answered. She couldn't believe her luck in having this woman as Joe's ex-wife. She was so welcoming and friendly. She hoped that Amanda, and Lee, would be receptive to what she and Joe wanted to ask of them. She turned around to the den and saw her husband laughing with his sons. She really did love Joe, even if he worked more than she liked. He glanced up and saw her, then gave her a brilliant smile. Lee turned around and saw Carrie there and grinned as well. Carrie turned around and saw Amanda behind her. Yes, it was nice to be a part of a family again. Since her parents had died in that car accident while she was in law school, Carrie had had to deal with everything alone. Now, she felt like she had people to rely on in good times and bad.

SMK SMK

At 2:15, Billy and Jeannie arrived with apple pies and ice cream, quickly followed by Francine at 2:30 and Ephraim at 2:45. By 3:00, Lee had manned the grill and Amanda was coordinating the kitchen with help from Jeannie. Dotty had taken the babies up to Katie's nursery and put them down for a nap, telling Carrie to relax and enjoy herself. Joe and the boys were playing catch in the front yard, while Francine, Ephraim, and Billy sat in lawn chairs and visited with Lee.

When everything was ready, Amanda called the crowd together and they all dug in to the barbecue feast. Since it had rained on and off all day, the group divided up into the breakfast nook and the dining room. Phillip, Jamie, Carrie, Joe, and Dotty sat in the breakfast area with the two babies, who were ready to eat. The rest sat in the dining room and enjoyed the meal while laughing over the various exploits the agents had encountered over the last few years.

Billy especially laughed, saying, "Lee, I never thought I'd live to see you settled down, with a wife and a family, and grilling barbecue."

"Yeah, if you had told me 5 or 6 years ago, that I'd be sitting in this dining room as a full-fledged member of this family I would have thought you were off your rocker, Billy," Lee admitted. "But, now, I can't believe I waited as long as I did!"

"Well, you certainly waited long enough to tell us, Lee," Francine jumped in. "When I think that I tried to warn Amanda away from you when you were already engaged…I think you still owe for me for that one, Stetson." Amanda and Lee shared a smile and then joined in the laughter with everyone else.

"Well, I for one knew the instant Billy told me about Amanda that she was going to change you, Lee," Jeannie said. "He laughed so hard when he described how you dealt with her those first few months, but I knew. She was just what you needed."

Lee smiled at Amanda and grabbed her hand. "Jeannie, you are absolutely right. I couldn't be happier to be proven so wrong."

Amanda glanced at Francine, who looked a little sad. Then, she glanced at Ephraim, who kept glancing over at Francine when he thought no one was looking. 'Hmm,' she thought to herself. 'Maybe Francine needs someone totally different from what she's used to…just like Lee…and, let's face it, I…did.' She glanced at Lee, who gave her a smirk. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

SMK SMK

After everyone had eaten and the kitchen had been cleaned, the boys turned on the TV to watch baseball. They found a game between Cleveland and the White Sox. Billy, Jeannie, Francine, and Ephraim joined them, while Dotty went to her garage apartment to call her sister, Lillian.

Amanda sat in the living room, rocking Katie, while Lee fixed her a bottle. Joe sat on the couch with a sleeping Sarah sprawled across his lap. Carrie sat next to him with her head on Joe's shoulder. As Lee walked in, Carrie sat up and looked at Joe, who nodded.

Lee handed the bottle to Amanda and asked, "Do you want me to take her?"

"Only if you want to," Amanda smiled. "I'm fine otherwise."

Lee glanced at Katie, who was snuggled up against Amanda, half asleep but beginning to fuss. "She looks comfortable. I'll get the next one." Amanda smiled and began to feed the bottle to her daughter while Lee settled into a chair next to her.

"Um, Lee, Amanda," Joe began, glancing at Carrie, "Since we have the two of you alone, I was wondering, well_, we_ were wondering if we could talk to you about something important."

Amanda looked at Lee and then down at her baby. 'Oh my gosh, I really, really hope he isn't going to tell me they're moving to Africa. Please don't tell me you're leaving our boys, _my_ boys again!"

Lee looked at the baby and then at Amanda. 'Joe, I swear if you are about to tell me you are abandoning our boys again, I really don't know what I'll do. How can you even think of taking that precious girl to a Third World nation? You are one seriously messed up guy!'

Joe watched both of them and realized what they must be thinking. He really couldn't blame them for thinking the worst of him. He'd left his family for a dream that turned out to be a nightmare. Sure, he loved the people of Estoccia and the former Prime Minister, but he'd thrown away so much more. Now, he had a second chance with Carrie and Sarah and he wasn't about to throw it away. He'd worked very hard reestablishing relationships with his sons and Amanda, and forging a friendship with Lee. "I know that I haven't always been the best father to our boys, but I hope I've proven to you both that I am a different person now. I have no intention of going anywhere for a long time."

Amanda let out a sigh. "Oh, Joe, I'm so glad to hear that. You had me scared there for a minute!"

Lee nodded with her and said, "Joe, I'm sorry I misjudged you. But, if you aren't telling us you're leaving…then what's up?"

Carrie spoke up, "First of all, I want to tell both of you how grateful I am for you to welcome me into your family. I've…I've," she tried to hold it together and took a deep breath, "I've been without that for a very long time, and I can't tell you what it means to me."

"We both feel like this," Joe continued. "I am so grateful to you, Amanda, for keeping me in our boys' lives even when I wasn't around. I hear all the time about bad exes and how people hate their ex-wives or their ex-husbands and it amazes me that we continue to be a family, albeit a totally different one than we thought we'd end up with." Amanda smiled at Lee. "We have the relationship we do because of _your_ efforts, Amanda."

"Joe," Amanda cut in, "I couldn't have done it without you. We've all worked really hard to make this what it is."

"That's true," Carrie whispered. "But, you laid the foundation for it all. You are the most amazing mother, and I've learned a lot from you."

"Which brings us to the point of all this…mushiness, as Phillip would call it," Joe laughed, and the others joined with him. "Lee, Amanda, Carrie and I have spent the last few weeks writing our wills and doing some estate planning. You know us lawyers, we like to have everything in place just in case anything was to happen…"

"When my parents died, they didn't have a will," Carrie continued. "It made it a little difficult for me, but I was lucky enough to have a great law professor who helped me get through probate and everything else. I don't want my daughter to ever have to deal with any of those issues. So…"

"We want to name you both as legal guardians of Sarah, if that's OK with you," Joe finished. "We can't think of anyone else we'd rather have raise our daughter if we aren't able to. She'd be with her brothers and have a good life."

"Please say yes, Amanda," Carrie pleaded.

Amanda and Lee looked at each other. They'd had plans in place since they'd been married, knowing that their jobs had such terrible risks at times. She was glad to know that Carrie and Joe were on top of things, even though it was very unlikely they'd ever have a need to use the wills.

"Joe, Carrie, we'd be honored to be Sarah's guardians," Lee answered. Amanda smiled and Carrie came over to hug her.

"Thank you, Amanda, Lee. I can't tell you what a big relief this is!"

SMK SMK

Around 9:00, Joe and Carrie left, taking Sarah, Phillip, and Jamie with them. Joe was going to take the boys camping for the rest of the week and they were excited about it. Not long after, Billy and Jeannie left as well. Dotty headed to her garage apartment with Katie, telling Amanda and Lee that she was giving them the night off. She had a crib in her apartment for what she called "girls night in".

Amanda, Lee, Ephraim, and Francine sat in the den, watching the Boston Pops perform their annual concert. After a few minutes, Amanda offered to make coffee, and asked Francine to join her in the kitchen. Francine sat at the counter with a sigh.

Seeing an opening, Amanda asked, "Francine, what's got you down?"

"Oh, I don't know, Amanda," Francine sighed. "Sometimes it just seems like…I don't know. I guess I'm a little envious of Lee. He is so happy now."

Amanda watched as Francine seemed to sink into the stool. She knew that Francine hadn't been happy in awhile, but hadn't known how to help her. Francine had finally broken things off with Jonathan about a year ago, and had begun her merry-go-round dating pattern again. "Why are you envious, Francine? I mean, you've got a fabulous apartment, designer clothes, and you never lack for dates," Amanda responded.

"You're right- I have all those things. But they mean nothing…I have nothing. I go home to an empty apartment. My dates are all the same- lots of money, dazzling features, and no sparks whatsoever. I wasted what seems like a lifetime on that jerk, Jonathan, and what am I left with? Nothing but regret for being stupid enough to waste years on someone who will never change."

"Can I ask you something, Francine?" Amanda took the opening Francine gave her. "Have you ever thought about doing what Lee did?"

"What? Find a total stranger and give them a package? You seem to forget I tried that and nearly got myself, and Lee, fired," Francine scoffed. They both thought back to that case and grimaced.

"I didn't mean it literally, Francine," Amanda remonstrated. "I mean…stop doing what you're doing and let yourself be open to new possibilities. The love of your life might be just around the corner. He could be someone you work with, but haven't ever given them a chance because they didn't fit your 'type'. You might be surprised by what you find."

Francine thought about what Amanda said. She thought about Jonathan and how he was just like all the other "stiffs" she dated. They were so full of themselves and their supposed accomplishments. Then she thought about Lee, and how Amanda was nothing like the bimbos he had once dated. Francine stared at Amanda, then smiled. "You know, Amanda, you might be right."

Amanda smiled back and thought to herself, 'I know I'm right.'

Meanwhile, in the den, Lee yawned and looked over at Ephraim. Once Amanda had become a fully trained agent, Ephraim had backed off and turned out to be a decent guy. Since his family was in California, Amanda had taken to having him over for dinner every month or so. He'd become a good friend of theirs over the last couple of years and Lee enjoyed being around him.

"Hey, Lee," Ephraim whispered, glancing back at the kitchen. "Do you think I even have a chance?"

Lee laughed and looked back at the kitchen. "If Amanda has anything to say about it, you do."

Ephraim smiled and said, "Good."

Lee looked at Ephraim and thought about Francine. She really was just like him. She thought she had it all, but he could tell that she was beginning to feel the sting of loneliness. Jonathan had done a number on her again, and Amanda had done everything she could to help pick up the pieces. Seven years ago, there hadn't been anyone to pick up the pieces in his life, and it had taken way too much time to get back to any semblance of a normal life. Amanda had entered his life and he'd become a better person. Now, all he could do was hope that Francine would do the same.

He watched as Francine and Amanda entered the room with coffee in hand. Amanda snuggled up next to him and Francine sat down next to Ephraim, instead of in the armchair she'd previously sat in. Ephraim stared at her in surprise, then smiled and wisely said nothing.

Lee gazed at his wife and thought about his family. He was a lucky man. He'd survived the loss of too many people in his life. He'd met his soulmate, lucked into a mother-in-law who treated him like a son, become a father to the best sons a man could ask for, and been blessed with a precious daughter.

"I love Independence Day," he whispered to his wife.


End file.
